Present on the tour through crystal Since its inception in 2017, Frenchman Martin Barreau has only missed “16 to 18 shows” out of 1,018 performances of this Cirque du Soleil production. For the 25-year-old athlete, strict discipline is one of the reasons for this longevity. The newspaper met him a few days after his return crystal to Montreal.
At the Chénier Arena in Montreal's Anjou district, some skaters practice jumping on three-meter-high ramps. Among these we find Martin Barreau. He is the only extreme skater still on Crystal since his debut and has also recently served as a coach for his teammates.
Martin Barreau is originally from Bordeaux, France and started inline skating around the age of 10. He quickly came to the attention of the head of an ice skating club and invited him to join their ranks. It didn't take long for him to compete successfully. He turned professional at the age of 16.
He didn't know the circus
Martin Barreau was invited to take part in a Red Bull Crashed Ice race in Marseille and won the competition in the freestyle category. He was then sponsored by Red Bull to tour with them. That's when a casting manager at Cirque du Soleil noticed him.
“I remember I was on the phone with my dad when I got a message from Cirque,” Martin Barreau tells the Journal. I tell him that someone asked me if I wanted to work with Cirque du Soleil. But I had absolutely no idea what it was! [rires]»
When Martin Barreau arrived in Montreal in 2017, he signed his contract with the company and it was there that he fully realized the importance of Cirque. He was then asked to collaborate on the creation of Crystal.
“Crystal” number from Cirque du Soleil. The production was already presented in Quebec in 2017. Archive photo, Agence QMI
Heat in Oceania
After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the skater returned to work with his colleagues in spring 2022. The troupe recently settled in Australia and New Zealand for four months. “It was cool to have a little bit of warmth because we’re always in the cold in the arenas,” he said.
At 25, Martin Barreau hopes to stay at Crystal for a long time. Since his discipline is ice skating or rollerblading, he could also take part in the Beatles LOVE show in Las Vegas, where this discipline is also used. “It could be a possibility, but I'm not thinking too much about it at the moment. I want to continue with Crystal and see where the tour takes us.”
INFO BOX: crystal in a few points
– The show has been touring since 2017, traveling across the US, Mexico, Russia, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
-After a pandemic-related shutdown in March 2020, Crystal resumed operations in spring 2022.
-Seven artists who were part of the original creation are still on the show.
– When Crystal returns to Montreal on December 21, it will be the production's 1,018th performance.
The show Crystal, by Cirque du Soleil will be presented at the Bell Center from December 21st to 31st. For information: cirquedusoleil.com.